Liquid chromatograph systems often use an auto-sampler to analyze a number of liquid samples. In this system, liquid samples are prepared beforehand in a plurality of vials of the auto-sampler. These samples can be individually and serially selected in a predetermine order and injected into a column of the liquid chromatograph. After setting a number of samples in the rack of the auto-sampler, the user (analysis operator) sets necessary information, such as the analyzing order of the samples and the analysis conditions, on a personal computer for controlling the auto-sampler. For example, a batch table (schedule table) as shown in FIG. 1 is displayed on the screen of the personal computer, on which the user can set necessary information. Subsequently, the user enters a command for initiating the analysis, whereupon the system performs a serial analysis, in which each sample are selected in the order specified in the batch table and an analysis is performed on the selected sample under the specified conditions (JP-A H11-201961).
In recent years, liquid chromatographs have been used for analyzing an extremely wide range of samples with increasingly complex structures. To perform an accurate analysis for each of a variety of samples, it is necessary, in some cases, to perform various pretreatments on the selected liquid sample before injecting it into the column. For example, the pretreatment includes condensing or diluting a sample component, removing unnecessary or interfering components, or adding a reagent. Some auto-samplers originally have such pretreatment functions. However, to use these functions, a pretreatment program must be created beforehand, as shown in FIG. 2, to control the operation of the auto-sampler (JP-A H10-281948).
In conventional analyzing systems, the process of controlling the auto-sampler before or during the analysis includes selecting a correct vial in which a desired sample is contained, regulating the volume of the sample injected into the column, and so on. However, it is impossible to control the entire pretreatment operation. Accordingly, for example, when a serial analysis is performed on a plurality of samples each requiring a different mode of pretreatment, such as a different amount of reagent or different kind of reagent, it is necessary to describe all the required modes of pretreatments in the pretreatment program.
The pretreatment program for controlling the operation of the auto-sampler is extremely complex and long. Even an expert user needs a considerable amount of time to rewrite a pretreatment program. For unskilled users, rewriting a pretreatment program is extremely difficult in the first place, so it is difficult for them to perform the analysis as desired.
The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an analyzing system with which a serial analysis inclusive of a pretreatment can be easily performed in a liquid chromatograph, and even unskilled users can perform a desired analysis. The present invention is also aimed at providing a control program for such an analyzing system.